If you are involved in a motorcycle accident, you may be unsure whether you should hire an attorney to represent you. If you suffered very minor injuries and the insurance company of the person who was at fault in your accident is offering adequate compensation, you may not need to hire a lawyer. However, you should still consider arranging a short consultation with a lawyer. There are several ways a lawyer can help you even during a brief consultation. 

An Attorney Will Tell You Which Questions You Should Expect From Insurance Companies

After a motorcycle accident, it is common for either your insurance company or the insurance company of the other party involved to call you. While you do have to cooperate with your own insurance company, you do not have to cooperate with the opposing driver's insurance company. They may offer you a settlement or they may ask you leading questions about the accident in order to gain more information about the settlement. However, they may use what you say during these early interviews against you if you decide not to take their settlement offer. 

During a consultation, a lawyer can advise you about what to say to insurance companies and which questions to answer when the insurance companies call you. 

An Attorney Can Help You Recognize the Proper Amount You Should Be Compensated 

Often, the first settlement offer by an insurance company will be much less than what your case is worth. An experienced lawyer will be able to assess your case and inform you what type of settlement you could expect if you go to court and what type of settlement you should expect if you settle out of court. This will help you determine when you should accept a settlement offer from an insurance company. 

An Attorney Can Help You Determine Who Is Liable For Your Injuries 

While it may seem obvious that the other driver is at fault for your accident, there may be other parties who are liable for your accident. For example, if your motorcycle wobbled out of control when you were driving at a high speed, the manufacturer may be held responsible for your accident. Or if a piece of trash flew off a vehicle and caused your accident, the owner of that vehicle may also be found responsible. During a consultation, a lawyer can help you assess whether there are multiple negligent parties and whether you should pursue compensation from multiple sources. 

An Attorney Can Advise You On Whether Or Not You Should Create a Civil Case Against Those Liable for Your Injuries 

Sometimes, it will be costly and time-consuming to take a case to court. During an initial consultation, a lawyer can determine whether you have a good chance of winning a court case and whether the compensation from the court case would make creating a case worthwhile for you. Sometimes, it will be better for you to take a settlement from an insurance company rather than try to pursue higher compensations in court. 

An Attorney Can Advise You About Immediate Actions You Should Take If You Want the Option to Pursue a Civil Case In the Future 

In most states, you do not have to file a civil case against the liable party immediately. You may actually have a few years to file a case, which is helpful in case additional injuries become apparent at a later date. However, to successfully file a case in the future, you have to takes steps to protect your case by making sure you file proper reports with the police and do not give too much information to insurance companies. A lawyer can advise you on how to protect yourself in case you decide to file in the future. 

If you were involved in a motorcycle accident, you may not need to hire a lawyer, but you should definitely consult with a lawyer to make sure you understand your rights and responsibilities. For more information, talk with a lawyer directly, such as with those at Scherline And Associates.